From a fruit stand to a walk-up window to the longest-standing pinnacle of Greek cuisine in Houston’s storied ethnic food scene. Such is the story, somewhat abbreviated, of one of our town’s most talked about restaurants, Niko Niko’s on Montrose. Luckily for us, along with their rags-to-riches history also came delicious, authentic Greek food still made with recipes straight from the owner’s father’s restaurant in Athens.
Niko Niko’s has been a longtime favorite eatery of the MHL staff, so when we realized that none of us had featured the place yet, it dumbfounded us. Then again… it was the perfect reason to indulge in gyros, falafels, baklava, and any other Greek goodness we could get our hands on!
Walking into Niko Niko’s, we were greeted with the familiar scenes of the vibrant eatery on a late Saturday afternoon. A long line of eager patrons waiting to order at the bustling counter, spindles of lamb and beef slowly roasting to perfection in the exposed kitchen, and a dining area and patio full of satisfied foodies capping off their meals with a piece of flaky baklava and a cup of strong Greek coffee against a backdrop of Greek murals and photos with the owners and random celebrities. Check out a virtual tour of the restaurant here!
Our meal started with an order of the Greek-style, fried calamari. Now I mentioned earlier that Niko Niko’s is a favorite spot of the MHL staff, so it should come as no surprise if we declare some Houston “favorites” here. Here’s the first… the calamari here is my favorite in Houston. The rings of calamari come lightly fried in a batter that is dusted with a special blend of spices that provide the perfect amount of kick to the meal starter.
For my meal, I went with the classic Gyro Sandwich, a tasty mixture of lamb and beef wrapped in a warm pita with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki sauce. The best part of a well-done gyro is the sensation of breathing in the herbs and spices of the meat before taking a bite of the slightly crisp but tender cuts. It’s like letting your brain know about the flavor parade about to enter your mouth. And the perfect side to my gyro sandwich? A heaping pile of possibly my favorite fries in Houston (second “favorites” declaration if you’re counting). Freshly hand-cut and fried to a perfect crisp *drool*.
The meal ends with several orders of coffee and Loukoumades, Greek honey balls dusted with powdered sugar. If you are a viewer of the Food Network Show, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, you’ve seen these fried balls of deliciousness featured by the Guy Fieri. And it’s easy to understand why! These things are freakin’ additive! They taste like bite-sized portions of funnel cake with bursts of honey… nom nom nom.
If you’ve never been to Niko Niko’s or it has been awhile, take a drive down to the Greek eatery on Montrose — or the recently opened Market Square location in Downtown. With the weather taking a cooler turn, it is the perfect time to take advantage of the street-side patio. As we Houstonians know, there really is only a couple months of REALLY good eating-on-the-patio weather, don’t miss out!
Let us know what you think! Where do you like to satisfy your Greek cravings around town?
[Niko Niko’s — 2520 Montrose — Mon – Thurs: 10 to 10, Fri – Sat: 10a to 11p, Sun: 10a to 9p]
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